Bergans of Norway - 100% merino wool

by Panorama Design

Bronze

Bergans was established in 1908 after the bicycle manufacturer Ole F. Bergan produced what was presumably the first ever rucksack as we know it today. His first rucksacks took part in Roald Amundsens expedition to the South Pole, and ever since the Bergans history has been linked to Polar exploration. For the design process we found inspiration from Polar expeditions, Amundsens expedition jacket and winter landscapes of ice and snow. Bergans as Norway leading provider of outdoor clothing, wanted to expand their collection into wool underwear. As the leading brands for wool underwear such as Devold, Smartwool and Icebreaker had a strong presence. Bergans needed to make a clear differentiation to be able to have distribution and win market shares. The overall ambition for the project was to reduce the footprint, be different and of course have a strong link to Bergans brand values (genuine, enthusiastic, pioneering spirit, proud). To reduce the footprint we put focus on transportation, selection of material and re-usage. We found that a lot of the competing brands packed their products in boxes with a lot of space. Leading to large-scale ”air” transportation from China to Europe. To meet this we reduced the pack size to the minimum giving us five different boxes. As material we fount that Tyvek® -HDPE plastic had both visual, tactile and environmental benefits, as it demands less energy to produce and can be recycled. As we wanted the bag to be re-used the Tyvek® material is waterproof and lightweight. The graphic design had the ambition to stand out, be a contrast to the competition and clearly underline that Bergans merino wool has the finest quality. The hierarchy was 100% merino first and Bergans second. The collection is a range of four, ultra lightweight, lightweight, mid weight and warm. To communicate the different thicknesses and insulation properties we selected to use the colours yellow, orange, red and purple, were yellow is the ultra lightweight. Typical features from outdoor equipment inspire the bag. For the closing mechanism we have used an elastic cord combined with a snap lock. Bergans experienced quick uptake of the new merino wool collection and established national distribution with one of the leading Sporting goods chains in Norway. In Europe the new wool packaging received awareness and opened new doors for Bergans. Leading to a growth of the overall market penetration for Bergans.